Adjustable skirt form



April 19,1938. T, H SMH-'H 2,114,433

' AADJUS'I.\B.1E SKIRT FORM Filed Oct. e, 193e 2 sheets-sheet 1 April 1,9, 1938- T. H. SMITH 2,114,433

ADJUSTABLE SKIRT FORM Filed oct. 8, 1936 sheets-Shea*L 2 Patented Apr. 19, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application .October .8,

7 Claims.

This invention relates to4 adjustable skirt forms used in cleaning and reblocking skirts and particularly used in treating the .skirts of twopiece knit suits.

'I'he purpose of this invention is to provide a skirt `form which has relatively few parts; which will hold the skirt in shape without ystretching it, and which is particularly easy to adjust.

A furtherobject is to provide a skirt form which is adjustable to suit the length of the skirt and particularly which is adjustable to secure the correct conformity of .the form to the individual shape or cut of the hips vof the skirt being treated, and in .which the various adjustments may be quickly made.

A still further object is to provide a structure of this character in which each side bar `of the form is constituted of two sections hinged to each other, whereby the upper or hip sections may be shifted into a plurality of positions relative to the lower or skirt sections, and whereby the lower cross bar which engages the lower edge of the skirt may be adjusted longitudinally in conformity to the length of the skirt.

Other objects will appear in the course of .the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:-

Figure l is a face view of my improved skirt formshowing the parts in one of these adjusted positions.

Figure 2 is a -side elevation of the structure shown in Figure l, the parts being broken away.

Figure 3 is an elevation partly broken away of the form shown in Figure l, but .adjusted to secure a diiferent position of the parts.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the cross bar, the side pieces .22 and the tubular member and rod being in section.

Referring to these figures, I 0 designates .a medially disposed tubular element and II designates a cross bar having .an aperture through which the tubular element passes. The cross bar has a longitudinally extending opening I2 at each end, and the side Walls of eachopeninggare slottedat I3. The tubular member 'I0vis adjustable through the cross bar and is held inadjusted position by the set screw I4v extending through the crossbar. The cross bar is provided with alplurality of skirt engaging hooks I5, there being two rows of these hooks andthe hooks extending outward. Extending through the tubular member' I0 is a longitudinally adjustable rod Il.l The tubular member is provided with a handle I1 at vits'lower end andthe rod is provided with a 19,36, Serial No. 104,723

handle I8. 'I'he tubular member adjacent its lower .end p-is provided with a set screw I9 which engages the rod and holds `the rod in adjusted positions. Forming part of the tubular member I0 and projecting laterally .and upwardly therefrom are the ears 20 and pivoted to these ears Aare the links 2I which normally extend upward and outward.

Extending through the openings I2 are the lower ends of two form sections, each designated 22. Pivoted to the upper ends of these lower form sections are the upper form sections 23, the latter form .sections being slightly bowed and at their lower ends alining with the lower form sections 22. Pivoted to the upper ends of the upper form sections 23 are the links 2 and these in turn are pivotally connected to metallic lugs 25 extending out from the upper end of the rod I6. The lower ends of the upper form sections 23 carry the downwardly and inwardly extending lugs 26 and the links 2| are pivoted at their upper ends to these lugs. The lower ends of the lower form sections 22 are longitudinally slotted at '2l and passing through these longitudinal slots .2l and through the slots I3 arethe bolts or binding screws 28.

It will be seen that with this construction, the cross bar fII may be shifted vertically with relation to the lower sections 22 and that these lower sections may be shifted outward at their lowerends relative to the -cross bar and held in these shifted or adjusted positions by the bolts 28. The bolts/28 .or equivalent devices also constitute pivots upon which the lower section 22 may lrock Whenthe upper ends of the lower sections are forced Ioutward yor .drawn inward by the links .2.I.

Preferably the Avlinks 2| and 24 are made of ash wood. As illustrated, the links 24 are cleft at their lower ends to embrace the lugs 25, while the upper ends of the links are cleft to embrace lugs29. These in turn are inserted in ,slots Lor .cleftsll Aformed in the upper ends of the sections 23. These lugs 29 Amay be made of .any suitable `material as, for instance, oak veneering. Preferably, the lugs 26 will also be made of oak veneering. Theselugs 26 each at its outer end is inserted in a cleft 3a, as shown in' Figure 2, 4formed in the lower end of the corresponding upper section 23. The body portion of each lug which is inserted in said cleft extends downward linto a cleft formed in the corresponding lower section 22 and is pivoted thereto `by .means of the pin 3l. Thus each upper section 23 can be turned at an angular relation tothe lower section by shifting upward on the tubular member i6, which forces the lower ends of the upper section outward or draws them inward relative to the lower sections. The upper ends of the upper sections may be forced outward or drawn inward by shifting the rod I6 relative to the tubular member l.

The lugs 29 and 25 will preferably be made of brass as will be the tubular member IS and the rod I6. Preferably, the pipe it and the rod IB will be covered with knitted tubing or otherwise coated so as to prevent staining the goods placed on this form, which staining would occur from the condensation of the steam on the metal.

The main object of this skirt form is to reshape and reblock knitted skirts to original size after cleaning. When the skirt has been only drycleaned, which does not shrink or stretch the garment, the form is set to the exact size of the skirt.

The skirt is then placed on it and then the skirt on the form is steamed and dried. If, however, it is necessary to wet-clean the skirt, the skirt is first measured and the form set to the size and shape desired, the skirt is wet-cleaned on the form and dried, which thus prevents shrinkage. The form can be adjusted to all sizes of skirts by adjusting the hips larger or smaller, adjusting the size of the upper end of the form` which ts the waist and adjusting the length of the form to the skirt being treated.

It is particularly important that links 2i be connected to the lower end of sections 23 instead of to the upper ends of the sections 22 for the following reason: Waist and hips are set to measure and if links 2l were connected to the upper sections 22, adjusting the form wider at the hem would cause the form to be narrower at the hips and vice versa. For this reason, the links 2| are connected to the lower end of the members 23.

It is obvious that by reason of the particular construction described, the form may be readily adjusted to suit any length of skirt and any width of skirt and that by adjusting the tubular rod It and the rod IB relative to each other, the device may be adjusted in conformity to any desired shape of skirt so that while holding the skirt expanded, there will be no stretching action on the skirt. It is understood, of course, that the lower edge of the skirt is engaged by the hooks l5 while the upper portion of the skirt is engaged by the upper sections 23.

It will be understood that while I have illustrated certain details of construction and arrangement of parts and particularly described certain materials as being used, yet these details might be modified in many ways without departing from the spirit of the invention as dened in the appended claims.

What is claimed isz- 1. A skirt form', including a cross bar having means for engaging the lowerl edge of a skirt, lower rigid form sections adjustable upon the cross bar either longitudinally thereof or vertically with relation thereto, upper rigid form sections separate from but pivoted to the upper ends of the lower sections, the upper form sections being slightly bowed upward and inward, manually operable means for adjusting the lower ends of the upper sections inward or outward, manually operable means for adjusting the upper ends .of the upper sections inward or outward, and means for holding said sections in adjusted positions.

2. A skirt form, including a cross bar having means for engaging the lower edge of a skirt, the

ends of the cross bar having elongated openings, the side walls of said openings being longitudinally slotted, lower form sections extending at their lower ends through said openings in the cross bar and provided with longitudinally extending slots intersecting the slots of the cross bar, fastening means passing'through the slots of the cross bar and the slots in said sections to thereby hold the lower sections in adjusted position upon the crossbar, said fastening means acting as pivots for the lower sections on the cross bar, upper hip form sections separate from but pivoted to the upper ends of the lower section in alinement therewith, the upper sections being slightly bowed upward and inward, manually operable mgeans for adjusting the lower ends of the upper sections inward or outward, and manually operable means for adjusting the upper ends of the upper section inward or outward.

3. A skirt form, including a cross bar having means for engaging the lower edge of a skirt, the ends of the cross bar having elongated openings, the side walls of said openings being longitudinally slotted, lower bodily rigid form sections extending at their lower ends through said openings in the cross bar and provided with longitudinally extending slots intersecting the slots of the cross bar, fastening means passing through the slots of the cross bar and the 'slots in said sections to thereby hold the lower sections in adjusted position upon the cross bar, said fastening means acting as pivots for the lower sections on the cross bar, upper bodily rigid, hip sections separate from but having their lower ends pivotally engaged with the upper ends of the lower sections, the lower ends of the upper sections being in alinement with the upper ends of the lower sections, manually operable means for adjusting the meeting ends of the upper and lower sections outward or inward, and manually operable means for adjusting the upper ends of the upper sections outward or inward.

4. A skirt form, including a cross bar having hooks alongits upper edge for engaging the lower edge of a skirt, the outer ends of the c ross bar having openings, lower bodily rigid form sections extending through said openings and adjustable toward or from the middle o-f the cross bar or vertically with relation thereto, bodily rigid upper hip form sections separate from but pivoted to the upper ends of the lower sections in alinement therewith, the upper sections being bowed upward and inward, a tubular member adjustable longitudinally through the middle of the cross bar, links pivotally connected to the tubular member and pivotally connected to the lower ends of the upper form sections, a rod extending through the tubular member, links pivotally connecting the upper end of the rod to the upper ends of the upper form sections, means for holding the rod in adjusted position relative to the tubular member, and means for holding the tubular member in adjusted positions relative to the cross bar.

5. A skirt form, including a cross bar having hooks for engaging the lower edge of a skirt, said cross bar at its outer ends having longitudinally extending openings, the side walls of which are slotted, lower bodily rigid form sections disposed through said openings, each form section being longitudinally slotted, bolts passing through the slots of the cross bar and through the slots of the lower form sections whereby the lower form sections maybe adjusted upon the cross bar and held in adjusted position, said bolts 75 constituting pivots, bodily rigid upper form sections separate from but having their lower ends pivotally engaged with the upper ends of the lower form sections, the upper sections being slightly bowed outward and inward, a tubular member extending through the cross bar and adjustable therein, a set screw holding the tubular member in adjusted positions relative to the cross bar, the tubular member having ears, links pivoted to said ears and to the lower ends of the upper form sections, a rod extending through said tubular member and having lugs at its upper end, links pivotally connecting said lugs to the upper ends of the upper form sections and a set screw holding the rod in adjusted position relative to the tubular member.

6. A skirt form, including a wooden cross par having means for engaging the lower edge of a skirt, the ends of the cross bar having openings, the side walls of the openings being longitudinally slotted, lower wooden form sections extending through the openings of the cross bar and being longitudinally slotted, fastening members passing through the slots of the lower form sections and the cross bar whereby the lower form sections may be held in adjusted positions upon the cross bar, said fastening means acting as pivots, upper slightly bowed sections disposed with their lower ends in alinement with the upper ends of the lower form sections, the adjacent ends of the form sections being cleft, wo-oden inserts disposed within said clefts and pivotal connections between said inserts and the lower form sections, said inserts being formed to provide inwardly projecting lugs, the upper ends of the upper form sections being cleft, wooden inserts disposed within said cleftsand constituting inwardly projecting lugs, a tubular member passing through the cross bar and adjustable therein, the tubular member having laterally projecting lugs, wooden links pivotally connecting the last named lugs with the lugs on the lower ends of the upper form sections, a rod disposed through the tubular member and having lugs at its upper end, links pivotally connecting said lugs with the lugs at the upper ends of the upper form sections, means for holding the rod in any adjusted position with relation to the tubular member, and means for holding the tubular member in adjusted position with relation to the cross bar.

7. A skirt form, including a cross bar having means for engaging the lower edge of a skirt, rigid lower form sections adjustable upon the cross bar either longitudinally thereof or vertically with relation thereto, upper rigid hip form sections separate from but pivoted to the upper ends of the lower sections, manually operable means for adjusting theupper' ends of the upper sections inward or outward, and separate manually operable means for adjusting the upper ends of the lower sections and the lower ends of the upper sections inward or outward.

THOMAS H. SMITH. 

